Orioles 4, Blues Jays 0; Rays 4, Yankees 3: As mentioned yesterday, this combo brings the Yankees lead over the O’s down to one game in the AL East, with the Rays only two and a half back themselves. I don’t suppose we’re so lucky to have a Yankees collapse come a year after the Red Sox collapse, but it’s a possibility I suppose.

Mariners 4, Red Sox 1: The United States Postal Service lost $5.2 billion in the second quarter of 2012. The Red Sox are mailing it in so thoroughly these days, however, that the third quarter will likely have the USPS turning a profit. Seven straight losses for Boston. They’ve been outscored 58-16 in that span.

Indians 3, Tigers 2: I’m not gonna say this game was boring, but my girlfriend — big Tigers fan — is here and was trying to watch this game yesterday. Not just watching it, she was watching the Tigers feed and playing the Rod Allen drinking game. And even with all of that incentive to stay tuned in she was bored out of her gourd. She ended up taking a nap, and that was before she even had a chance to finish more than half a beer.

Rangers 8, Royals 4: Yu Darvish retired the first seventeen batters he faced. Should have been eighteen, but what should have been strike three to Johnny Giavotella with two out in the fifth ended up being called ball four, which extended the inning and led to the Royals scoring thrice. The Rangers didn’t get too phased by it all, though. They hit five homers. One of them led to Nelson Cruz being plunked on the hiney, after which Michael Young hit another homer. That’s the best way to deal with that garbage, really.

The simple truth is the Yankees are not playing very good baseball right now and haven’t been for about 6 weeks.
Just food for thought the meaning of words in the article is important. The word “collapse” has been been brought into the conversation here. Collapse is defined as “to fall or shrink together abruptly and completely”, and it’s relationship to the Red Sox failure to make the postseason last year after what amounted to a 9 game lead on Sept 1st in that quest. In my opinion the circumstances are hardly the same. I may be bias in that opinion but even if the Yankees should miss the postseason which I do NOT see happening it will have been a process that started on or about July 18th and continued until Oct 3 the last day of the season, a period of about 10 weeks. A far cry from Boston’s fall from grace last year that happened far more suddenly and in the span of just 4 weeks. Like I said the meaning of words is important here.

So if you had a 10 game lead on May 1st with 135 games to play that’s a “collapse” in your mind? Sorry but you’re wrong, at least by the definition of “collapse”. I think the same applies when it or if a team loses that lead over 60 or 65 games that’s about 40% of the MLB season.

paperlions - Sep 4, 2012 at 9:03 AM

Doesn’t really apply to the Yanks though, does it? They had a 10 game lead on July 18th having played well over 1/2 their schedule. It is true that they are “only” 5 games under .500 since then, but lost 10 game leads while you fail to even play .500 ball still fall in the realm of collapses….especially if you go from best record in baseball to not taking either of the two WC spots.

18thstreet - Sep 4, 2012 at 9:14 AM

The 1978 Red Sox actually won their last 8 games before losing in the Bucky Dent game. You could look it up.

Pretty tricky situation when you have an annual health payment of more than $5 billion….Interesting this comes a day after labor day.

With a man on second, no outs and the Tigers needing a run to tie it up…..Delmon comes up hacking at the first shoulder high pitch that comes his way. Just when the game looked remotely interesting to slightly redeem itself, you’re greeted with that tripe. Awful.

The yard birds strike again! 15 over .500 for the first time since…3 games ago. But before that? 1997. Insane. These birds keep flying high and have yet to land. 2 more north of the broder (btw, glad to see AJ not getting confused for Adam “Pacman” Jones and his felonies at the border patrol this year) then back to the yard for the Ripken statue unveiling and a 4 game series against the Bombers.

Not to say we’re overlooking Toronto in anyway. They’ve had a stellar BP as of late and the last thing we want is to go into the 6th or 7th down. That being said, Britton still worries me on the mound, even after his last gem. Give me 2 more starts like that and faith will be restored (from his abysmal start to the season).

And for those naysayers (really just @natslady) who constantly gripe for some unknown reason about another teams attendance (it’s hard for Nats fans to understand the meaning of football season for a winning team) the upcoming 4 game series against the Yanks has already sold out Thursday and Saturdays game. Friday almost sold out. Sunday should be sold out by midweek (Ravens don’t play until Monday night). This guy? Plan on being at the yard Sunday, and the Bank Monday night.

Nats’ attendance wasn’t great yesterday, only 23K. Only 21K on Friday. Probably due to Labor Day weekend and humid weather (rain, and predictions of rain). And, BTW, I wasn’t the only one who noticed O’s attendance. It was mentioned on Baseball Today (a national show) and quite a bit on local sports talk shows. I’m glad to hear it’s improving–the O’s have an exciting team right in the thick of things. Good luck to the Ravens. I’m not rooting for the DC team until they change their name. I’ll root for my father’s team (Bears) or my sister’s team (Packers).

Please tell me it’s not because Redskins is a racially accelerated term… a bit pretentious don’t you think? History is history. a name is nothing but a name. Bet you weren’t griping about the Baltimore Bullets being a case of inappropriate profiling back in the day.

And FYI- my authority on the matter? Wife’s family is part Rapahoe. They could care less about the Redskins, Braves, Seminoles, etc. It’s a team name, not meant to be offensive.

And I’m surely not up in arms about the Northern Colorado University’s Fightin’ Whities.

I’m a Rays fan, but I’m very happy for the Os. If the Rays don’t make it, I’d like to see your team go all the way. (Don’t even get me started on our awful attendance.)

That said, I agree with Natslady. A name isn’t just a name. Try naming a team the “Yellow-skins” or the “Black-skins.” The Redskin name is a tribute to a shameful part of our history.

lewp - Sep 4, 2012 at 9:29 AM

I think it’s strange that many college teams had to lose the Indian reference to their schools but major league teams like the Braves and Redskins can keep their names because they have the money and are worth billions.

Sort of America in action isn’t it? Or rather, Native American.

The only thing that has changed in America because of the mascot uproar is simply the mascots themselves. Native America is pushed deeper in the shadows by non-recognition of the mascot plan.

Not to get off topic on a baseball board on the subject of the DC football team’s name, but I am amazed that Danny Snyder hasn’t used that as an excuse to line his pockets with MORE money.

He could say he decided to drop the Redskin name because it is offensive to some ( it is), and change the name of the team to something like the Washington Dukes ( after Duke Ellington) with a top hat and cane as a logo.

He would then have the marketing rights to sell both Redskin and Duke merchandise.

Nationwide sales of both types would go through the roof, with different political crowds buying one or the other. Some of more rabid fans would never be seen in public without a Redskin branded article of clothing, and sleep in Redskin jammies.

I know a group of guys named Ray and they told me they’re going to file a lawsuit against the Tampa Bay franchise for using THEIR name.

historiophiliac - Sep 4, 2012 at 11:06 AM

rockthered1286, it’s Arapaho, dude. Also, you should read about the Sandy Creek massacre where the Army wiped out over 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho, including women and children. Then, some of the soldiers cut off genitalia from the dead women, dried it, and hung it on their hats as badges. Also, the Arapaho population fell so much it is no longer an independent nation. They live with the Shoshone in Wyoming or the Cheyenne in Oklahoma now. Nice playing the “my wife is a…” card though.

I’m shocked the Occupy camp hasn’t made it’s way to Danny Boys office yet to protest this one…

Simply put, the team didn’t select this name to promote hatred, racism, or to isolate a group of people. Quite the contrary, teams with such names based it on the concept of an Indian warrior, the strength, the passion, the pride… so if we’re going to suggest it’s a stereotype let’s call it what it is: It’s a positive image of what once was a warrior. A Cowboy today is not what a cowboy once was, nor is a bucaneer, pirate, etc. Hell, let’s go as far as to say a saint has a new meaning, as does a patriot.

If you want to abolish one, take them all, and make it an animals only ordeal.

historiophiliac-
Glad to know how it’s spelled. Never cared to ask to be honest. However, if you’re suggesting it’s not true I’d say that’s a bold assumption. I mentioned my wife’s family is ‘part’ not whole. Essentially not enough to live on a reservation, but enough to help with college funding. Doesn’t mean they can’t have an opinion on the matter, just like everyone else on the board. Only difference is they have the heritage versus, say myself, who does not.

As far as history goes, glad you spend your time with your nose in the books. Myself? I spend my free time watching, you know, sports. That thing this site is dedicated to.

Not exactly sure what your point is contributing to the conversation here but thanks for the history lesson, dude.

rarson - Sep 4, 2012 at 12:07 PM

You’re

rarson - Sep 4, 2012 at 12:21 PM

That’s what I get for trying to post a comment from my phone.

I have to agree with rockthered, complaining about a name out of context is just silly. Nobody that I’ve ever met had said the word “Redskins” without talking about the football team. Complaining about words out of context is silly. Words are just sequences of sounds, after all. It’s the meaning that matters.

Old Gator - Sep 4, 2012 at 12:22 PM

With all the orthopedic injuries this year, I’m surprised none of these teams changed their names to the Wounded Knees.

Can’t use Wounded Knee. Sounds too much like a name given to someone in an Indian Tribe centuries ago. Might be offensive.

On that note, I’m starting to think Nationals is offensive, considering there are plenty of players from across the globe on their team, and all throughout baseball. Perhaps they should change their name to the Washington Internationals.

I was kind of hoping for the “Grays” but “Internationals” would be fine with me. Then Gater could call us the “Inter-Gnats,” I guess. I understand history, and team names like the Braves or Warriors (which could be any group, after all) are named to celebrate a fighting spirit. OK, it’s borderline, but it’s a positive image. But when you reduce an ethnic group to the color of its skin, that’s where I get off the train.

historiophiliac - Sep 4, 2012 at 1:17 PM

rocketthered1286, Wounded Knee is not a person’s name. It is the name of a place, where, incidentally, another Indian massacre took place. This time the US Army took out 150+ Sioux — again including women and children.

My argument is not with your position on team names. It’s that you wrap your position in insultingly dismissive language backed by absolute ignorance, which you can’t seem to see.

I’d just like to thank Mr Peabody for todays history lesson. Apparently some people enjoy, understand and appreciate humor, while others take things too literally and would rather spend time correcting and criticizing others, while discussing obscure battles that happened over 130 years ago that I should know more about. Which brings us full circle back to the whole mascot thing. People take everything too serious and look for things to be offensive instead of waiting until something offensive actually comes to light. Team name that’s been around forever? Let it be. A coach calls someone a racial slur? THERE’s an issue to sink you’re teeth into (but players do it all day everyday- a different issue for another time).

I’m over the lectures. If I want to be criticized I’d leave work early and go home to the wife.

kiwicricket - Sep 4, 2012 at 8:24 AM

Chase Headley(SD) is leading the league in HR and RBI since the break. Amazing.

And the Astros manage a small moral victory, assuring that the worst they can do mathematically is tie the Mets for worst record in modern baseball history. 27 chance to get one more win. Surely some team racked with influenza or just ready to give up will give them that. But, of course, if you took the record since they traded all of their major leaguers in July, you could say that they may be lined up to lose 130 in 2013. I guess we will see what magic Luhnow can concoct over the winter to neutralize the A’s, Athletics and Rangers.

On a brighter note, the new, slimmed-down version of Brett Wallace looks like he may be able to hit the ML curve ball after all. Perhaps one problem down, 24 to go?

“The United States Postal Service lost $5.2 billion in the second quarter of 2012. The Red Sox are mailing it in so thoroughly these days, however, that the third quarter will likely have the USPS turning a profit.”

Craig, I love your snarky comments, but this has to be one of your finest jabs ever. Really had to keep my hand over my mouth at my desk at work so my laughter was muffled around my coworkers.

I think it’s more with how the pitches had been called up to that point. It doesn’t matter though he did great and I don’t think anyone in their right mind expected him to get that close to a perfect game. Just be solid, let the offense do their thing, and they’re in good shape. Still, to flirt with immortality like that is kind of cool.

Before the game began, Glen did a voice-over of Miggy’s two walk-offs (games 18 & 19) during the streak, part of the the year-long “Moneyball” tie in and related to the A’s current 9 game winning streak.

Talk about the kiss of death. Milone gave up two hits in the first inning and was saved from himself by a sparkling double-play. But there was no saving him after that, as first Hunter, then Wells and Ianetta (off Figueroa) went deep, the latter two were monster shots. CJ has been a good number 2, though the Angels fans might see him as a bit of a disappointment, but he hasn’t been, not really. And yesterday he bent but didn’t break, allowing two solos to the A’s but nothing serious in terms of scoring.

The Angels are clearly much better than the teams the A’s have faced lately, and the A’s need to take the same mindset with them that they did against the Rays when they won that series 2-1: pitch well, grind for runs, and give nothing away defensively. That said, the Angels have quietly elevated both their offense (now # 3 in the AL in OPS).

Unfortunately Milone and Parker are in uncharted territory as to IP, and some of that showed yesterday with Milone missing up in the zone, not a good place to be when you throw with BP velocity. But the A’s have proven surprisingly resilient these past few months. Melvin rested his A bullpen in the loss so if Parker can hold the Angels in the park tonight (and he’ll benefit from the cooler night air) the pen should be able to close the game. But first, the A’s need to score some runs off Greinke.

Yesterday’s Nats-Cubs game was pretty uncomplicated. Ross Detwiler deserved to win. Jeff Samardzija deserved to win. In the end, the better team, the team that has learned how to win, won.

The Nats retain the best record in MLB, hitting the 30 games over .500 mark. However, the Braves have not gone away. Making up 6.5 games is difficult, but not impossible, as the Rays and Cards demonstrated last season. Continued winning is needed. Tonight, Edwin Jackson vs. Chris Rusin, making his second MLB start.